MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-432-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on BEAR CREEK in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2014 and again in the summer on 8/7/2014.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,707 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.6 %
Forested Land Use 65.6 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 57 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.17
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		101.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0733 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 12
White Sucker 6
Creek Chub 3
Brown Trout 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 82
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Taenionema 1
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.